The Mud Experience - otherwise known as the Camp Pendleton Mud Run

I’m alive! Here is the whole long story of the day – of the Camp Pendleton Mud Run, that is. After taking my Melatonin, Calcium and Magnesium, and some Valerian Root, I went to bed early last night – I figured I needed to make sure I got some sleep before the big day so I loaded up on these natural sleep aids. The good news it that the worked! I woke up this morning at 5 a.m., had some coffee and an egg and toast. Then I made the hour drive to my friend Cathi’s house in San Juan Capistrano. We piled in her SUV with my overloaded, heavy duffle bag filled with all the things that I decided I might need at a Mud Run – first aid and blister kits, a towel, a change of clothes, flip flops and my oh so ugly Crocs, camera, phone, you get the picture a big heavy bag full of stuff. This is important later. Then we are off to pick up Cathi’s friends, our friend Sue is meeting us at the run. On the way to pick up her friends, Gail and Kim, she mentions that one is an avid runner and the other is a personal trainer. I think to myself, “Oh my goodness what I have I gotten myself into.” We pick up the girls and they are very nice ladies – and fit as can be! Then we drive down to Oceanside and on to the Marine Base – it is very crowded and it takes us about an hour just to get to the place where we park. Then they tell me we have to walk about a half a mile to the start of the race and I think to myself, “I can’t waste my precious steps walking to the start. I’ve got to make it through 6.2 miles of unknown probably horribly hard terrain still.” But, I walk. We come upon a village like setting with a bevy of different tents with food, shirts, hats, water, etc. We find the area to check our bags and pin our race numbers on our backs. There are reportedly 10,000 people at the race. So, you can imagine what that was like. All sorts of people, some wearing outlandish costumes – Viking hats, Sombreros, guys in short tops and Dolphin shorts (remember those, well they looked like those anyway. LOL) – you get the picture. Then they told us to line up the team race was beginning. I thought to myself –sounds like I did way too much thinking today - “I am going to get trampled by all these real runners.” So, as you can see I was very anxious. Then the horn goes off and the race starts. I had to at least jog or I felt like I actually would get trampled. Then we slowed down a bit – a log jam type situation. Then off again and there was the first water – a fire truck on the side of the road spaying everyone with a ton of water. I have to admit it felt kind of good to get wet. Then another log jam, and over a bridge. I kept wondering what was next. It seemed like things were going to be okay – a little jogging and a little walking. Then another log jam. I was glad I got a chance to rest a little. If I had only known the fun was just beginning. LOL! A little stream to wade through – it was about 6-8 inches deep, a muddy path and then another little stream. I thought, I can handle this. The streams are getting bigger – the next one was up to my knees. I trudged along the path some more, my friend Sue saying, “Let’s run a little – so I did.” The other ladies were long gone and far ahead of us by this time. We rounded the corner and I saw it – it being the longest steepest looking road that looked like the Great Wall of China to me a the time. So, I walked, and I walked, and I walked – it seemed to get steeper and steeper. I thought I was at the top and then I rounded the corner and there was another leg of the journey. By this time my friend Sue was long gone trotting up the hill – or at least I think she was. More hill, more turns – after about three miles finally the top. Argh! Oh and along the way every mile or so there was a water/Gatorade station. I partook of at least one cup of each at every station. The only way I knew how much further I had to go was the refreshment stations. Someone told me they were about every mile, so that was my only gage of my progress. Each Marine we passed would cheer us on and say, “You are almost there.” I finally figured out they were saying that from mile one. Duh! Then the down hill decent began – not so good on the knees. I kept wondering where these big obstacles were. As I got to the bottom of the hill I saw my friends Cathi and Sue waiting for me. I thought I better jog a little. Cathi said the river and a climbing wall were next. We heard gun fire in the background reminding us of where we were. Oh no! The river, besides the fact that it was a muddy mess, was the best part of the day. The water came up to my chin, but I was able to hop swim – yes hop swim across. Not to bad! Then back on land and soggy as hell. Up another hill and across the street. Then I saw another mud pit and some tunnels. Oh my goodness! Got past those, through a nice area like a nature park – but by that time I could barely see where I was going. LOL! I turned another corner and in the distance I could see what looked like a giant wall of mud. I could see a people being drenched with water from a fire truck as they scrambled up the steep hill – way steeper that the first long hill! There were ropes on the sides so I thought I’d hold on to those and make my way up. But, no! A Marine said to me, “Ma’am (they all called you Ma’am!) it is easier if you go in the river.” The river was a crevice in the hill anywhere from a couple of inches to almost a foot deep. It was literally a flowing river. The water felt good from above, but made the hill more treacherous – to me anyway. I kept thinking I was going to misstep and slide down the hill taking out all the other Mud Runners behind me out. That would have been a sight to see! But, thank goodness I made it up this ‘slippery hill,’ as they called it. At the top my friends were waiting – did I mention that Cathi does mini Triathlons and is training for a Marathon? I felt like I was going to puke – yes indeed I did feel that way. Thank goodness I was able to walk it off. A little more to go – or so one Marine’s said – up another hill and down another hill. I could hear the cheering below and see the Village. I was almost there. Then the crawl through the mud pitts. The end was near. I could see the finish line – I started to jog right to the finish line. I was done. I had done it! We walked back to the Village area to pick up our bags and try to have a shower – no luck on the shower the lines were at least 30 people deep – all 30 co-ed one of them. So, we walked back to the SUV – yes another half mile or so. That darn duffle bag was so heavy now – it felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. Argh! I was tired. I am tired. But, I did it! I am so happy I made it! My goal is that much closer now. Tonight I will have a nice meal and a good sleep. I’m sure I won’t need my natural sleep aids tonight! On to the next challenge – it will be hard to top this one!